Stocks hold onto gains

The Bank of England kept its lending rate at 0.5 percent. The European Central Bank kept its rate at 0.75 percent.

Both decisions were expected, but the ECB's decision came with a more pessimistic forecast for the economy of the eurozone, which the ECB expects will contract 0.3 percent in 2013.

The Labor Department said Thursday 23,000 fewer first-time unemployment claims were filed in the week ending Saturday, bringing the weekly total to 370,000, close to the 369,000 mark of the week before Hurricane Sandy pounded the East Coast.

By close of trading, the Dow Jones industrial average added 39.55 points, or 0.3 percent, to 13,074.04.

The index was led by technology giant Intel, shares up 1.56 percent; Cisco Systems, shares up 1.41 percent; and McDonald's, shares up 1.29 percent.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.